Canine Brucellosis Information for Dog Owners

Key Facts

Canine brucellosis is found world-wide. It is an increasing concern in North America due to importation of infected breeding dogs and semen for artificial insemination. Disease in dogs can be: • Subclinical, dogs frequently have no obvious disease signs. • Associated with acute or chronic signs, such as: o Reproductive disease, e.g. abortion (typically late term), weak pups who die shortly after birth, infertility (bitch or stud) o Spine or neurologic disease, e.g. back or neck pain Infection is poorly responsive to treatment. Neutering alone will not cure an infected dog. Breeding programs with infertility or abortion concerns should promptly test dogs. All breeding programs should have a routine testing schedule, especially for any new dogs. Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease. Infected dogs can infect people and in many jurisdictions it is reportable to animal and public health agencies.

What is it? Brucellosis is due to infection with the Brucella bacterium. Brucella canis is the most common species found in dogs. It is most often transmitted through direct dog-to-dog contact via infected body fluids and tissues (e.g. vaginal discharge, aborted fetus, placenta, semen, urine). Other Brucella spp. can also infect dogs (including Brucella abortus and Brucella suis) after dogs consume placenta, aborted fetuses, or uncooked meat from infected livestock or have contact with wild (feral) swine. Brucella spp. under microscopic examination (Public Domain: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Once within the dog, the bacterium multiplies and circulates in the blood, moving to and multiplying Who gets it? in body organs. Bacteria can remain within the Dogs, wild dogs and humans may experience blood for many years and are easily shed in body clinical disease once infected. fluids. This leads to a high risk of spread to other dogs, especially in dog kennels or dog group Can people get sick with it? environments. Yes. Although dogs rarely spread the infection Brucellosis is the leading cause of reproductive to people, it does occur and infected people can disease in dogs. Although most infected dogs do become very sick. People likely to have contact not show signs of disease, they are able to infect with infected dogs and their body fluids (e.g. other dogs. Signs of disease can occur shortly breeders, veterinary staff) are at greatest risk after infection or may not develop for months or for infection. years. akcchf.org 1 go.osu.edu/IDk9risk How is it spread? How is it diagnosed? (Transmission & Infection risk) Your veterinarian will need to perform repeated Canine brucellosis is most often transmitted testing (or use a combination of tests) to diagnose through direct contact with infected vaginal brucellosis. First, they will evaluate your dog’s discharge, aborted fetus, placenta, semen, or clinical signs and do a thorough physical urine. Transmission after oral or nasal contact examination to assess for reproductive or spinal with an infected dog may also occur. Puppies disease. A history of being a stray, imported from can be infected in utero if born to an infected a high-risk area (see How is it spread?), breeding dam. In kennels or in high-density dog groups, dog or being from a kennel will increase their transmission can occur through contact with suspicion of brucellosis. contaminated objects (e.g. food or water bowls, Usually, diagnosis is made through a combination bedding). Infected dogs will persistently shed B. of clinical signs, PCR and serology tests [e.g. canis in fluids for months and likely (intermittently) rapid slide agglutination (RSAT, ME-RSAT), agar lifelong. gel immunodiffusion (AGID)]. False positive tests The bacteria can be found world-wide, but are common, so confirmatory testing is strongly the southern USA, Mexico, South and Central advised whenever a positive result is obtained. America, China and Japan are considered higher Some tests may not differentiate between B. canis risk areas. In many places, infected dogs are and B. suis. Although both are important when increasingly common, creating concern for disease identified, your veterinarian will want to determine emergence and spread. which bacteria are causing disease to ensure appropriate treatment and management. Infection risk is highest for stray and breeding dogs, or those who live in a kennel. Outbreaks are often traced to the introduction of a new infected dog. Infection with B. suis is most common in hunting dogs or those who have contact with wild (feral) swine. Although feral swine are increasingly common throughout much of the US, their population is highest (as is the prevalence of B. suis in feral swine) in the southern US. Semen may need to be tested prior to being imported in some regions. It is strongly advised to routinely test all breeding dogs to reduce disease and spread (see How can I stop this from happening to my dog and other dogs). In many areas, canine brucellosis testing or identification requires reporting to the regional public or animal health agency, and these groups may request additional testing.

What is the treatment? Will my dog recover? Unfortunately, therapy is rarely curative. Once What should I look for? (Signs of disease) dogs are infected they are usually infected for Reproductive disease (e.g. abortion, infertility, life. Neutering alone will not cure an infected fading puppies) is the most common sign of dog. Treatment typically consists of neutering, infection. However, spinal and nervous system appropriate antibiotics and pain relief. However, signs can occur, such as discospondylitis. Some relapses are very common, despite appropriate infected dogs never develop clinical disease. therapy. akcchf.org 2 go.osu.edu/IDk9risk In kennels and breeding facilities, it is advised to Dogs used for blood donation should also be immediately quarantine all dogs who are likely screened (once for neutered donors and annually to have had contact (direct or through shared in sexually active intact dogs). objects/environments) with an infected dog, as Re-homing known infected dogs is generally well as dogs with a positive screening test (see discouraged, due to human health concerns. Outbreak management). In these facilities, dogs that are confirmed to have canine brucellosis Outbreak management: (see How is it diagnosed?) should be removed or euthanized. Since canine brucellosis often goes unnoticed and the bacteria are shed in bodily secretions, Prognosis for recovery is very poor, and it is the disease can quickly spread throughout a challenging to eradicate disease from affected group of dogs (e.g. kennel) if the above testing kennels and breeding colonies. recommendations are not followed. How can I stop this from happening to my When multiple dogs have been infected with B. canis in a single location (e.g. kennel), it is dog and other dogs? strongly recommended to contact someone with Be informed. Follow recommendations for testing experience in veterinary infectious disease risk of breeding dogs and semen, and do not allow assessment and outbreak management (i.e. untested dogs to enter kennels. Quarantine all state veterinarian, expert at a nearby veterinary new dogs (keep separated from other dogs) college). until they have been appropriately screened for Outbreaks are most likely to occur when numerous canine brucellosis and other infectious diseases. dogs are housed together, and an infected dog is Currently, no vaccination is available for dogs. The inadvertently introduced (e.g. breeding program). bacteria are easily killed with routine disinfectants In such cases, efforts should be aimed at (see Resources for additional information). systematically determining which dogs are infected (testing all dogs at least twice 30 days apart) and keeping dogs of different status (e.g. test negative, test positive once, confirmed positive) completely separated. Screening programs will greatly reduce the chance of an outbreak and should be used by every breeder and those introducing high-risk dogs (e.g. stray, national/international rescue) into a dog group.

Current recommendations are to perform a minimum of annual testing on all breeding dogs and quarantine all new dogs prior to kennel entry. Ideally, two negative screening tests (30-60 days apart) should occur prior to admission of any new dog into a breeding kennel or obtaining semen from a dog outside the facility. Dogs bred intensively outside the facility should be tested 2-4 times per year. When run, tests should be conducted 3-4 weeks prior to the onset of estrus, as testing is more accurate near or during estrus and to allow time for a confirmation test if the screening test is positive. akcchf.org 3 go.osu.edu/IDk9risk Zoonotic (Human Infection) Alert: People can be infected and become sick with The Center for Food Security and Public Health. Brucella spp. People are infected with B. canis “Brucellosis” Technical Factsheet. Available at: from contact with an infected dog, its fluids/tissues, cfsph.iastate.edu/ or contaminated environment (e.g. bedding, The United States Department of Agriculture. kennel). Disease in people is similar to that in USDA Best Practices for Brucella canis Prevention dogs, causing fever and damage to reproductive and Control in Dog Breeding Facilities. October organs. 2015. Available at: Disease prevention in people is dependent on aphis.usda.gov/animal_welfare/downloads/ brucella_canis_prevention.pdf quickly identifying infected dogs and taking precautions to avoid contact with the bacteria. Wardrop, KJ, et al. (2016), Update on canine These precautions should include washing and feline blood donor screening for blood-borne hands, wearing gloves and dedicated clothing pathogens. J Vet Intern Med 30.1: 15-35. Available during whelping, and working with a veterinarian at: to integrate and follow a screening program for onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal/19391676/ homepage/free_reviews_and_consensus_ all dogs, along with quickly investigating any statements.htm concerns of reproductive failure. Created by: Additional Resources Michelle Evason, BSc DVM DACVIM Georgia Department of Agriculture. Canine (Small animal internal medicine) brucellosis (Brucella canis). Available at: agr.georgia.gov/Data/Sites/1/media/ Jason Stull, VMD MPVM PhD DACVPM ag_animalindustry/animal_health/files/ Material from this document may not be caninebrucellosis.pdf reproduced, distributed, or used in whole or in part without prior permission of the AKC Canine Health National Association of State Public Health Foundation. Veterinarians. Public health implications of Brucella canis infections in humans. Available at: For questions or inquiries please contact us at: nasphv.org/documentsCompendia.html [email protected] or 888-682-9696. Ramamoorthy, S., et al. (2011), Brucella suis Access our full series of canine health fact sheets here: infection in dogs, Georgia, USA. Emerg Infect Dis, akcchf.org/canine-health/top-health-concerns/top- 17: 2386-2387. Available at: health-concerns.html dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid1712.111127

March 2019 akcchf.org 4 go.osu.edu/IDk9risk